Clockwork: Origins of Darkness
by Lisa-24-7
Summary: Prequel to "Past and Present". We all know Clockwork is the 'Master of Time', but how did he get that way? And why is he so obsessed with a certain prophecy? AU, set in universe of "Past and Present".
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

Hello readers! This story is an extension (prequel?) to my story "Past and Present". While you do not need to read that story to read this one, it is highly recommended. I hope that regardless, you enjoy this short story that I have written. There will be approximately 6 (short) chapters!

Thank you in advance :) ~Lisa

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_The Ghost Zone was formed when the Earth was born, created as a home for all those lost to the mortal world. But don't think there is anything else in common with our worlds, for the Ghost Zone is built on ectoplasm, and those who live here are not human. We're ghosts. _

_What is a ghost? That is a good question. Humans have come to believe they are simply spirits of the past, coming back in a new form to finish their business. While housing these types of ghosts is what the Zone as formed to do, there are many of us who were created on our own, by a higher power, to live out our days in the Zone._

_We Observants are one such example, born shortly after the Zone. While the story of how we were created is unknown to this world, we have always known our purpose: to watch over the Zone and keep it safe, making sure that those who arrive from the human realm are welcomed until moving on to their next destination, and maintaining a balance between both the Earth and the Ghost Zone._

_This is where our story begins. A story that goes back to the very origins of the Ghost Zone. I would recommend pulling up a chair, this could take a while. _

* * *

"Master! Master!"

The green-headed ghost quickly floated into the realm, holding a book out to his master, a similar looking ghost.

"What now?" the second ghost asked, raising his one eyebrow as he took the book.

"We've been filling these books for days now, just like you requested."

"Ah yes, because the information we are learning is becoming too much for us to hold onto. But what is so urgent that you had to interrupt?"

"Read it and you will know."

The second ghost looked back down at the book, his single eye scanning the page as he read out loud.

"One day there will come a being strong enough to wield the power of both realms. Upon the removal of the cursed Amulet of Aragon, this being will take its true place amongst both humans and ghosts, freeing the Ghost Zone of the dark power that lingers over it, and taking its place as the protector of both realms"

He finished reading and looked back at his visitor.

"Aragon? Isn't that the kingdom that just came into existence?"

"Yes, the one that perished in the human war. The whole kingdom was wiped out and sent here."

"And the amulet?"

"I believe the princess wears one. I've heard tales of it being linked to her lost lover."

"Hmmmm, curious…"

The leader turned away, back to the screen he had been watching.

"What could it all mean sir?"

"I don't know."

They stood in silence for a bit, both contemplating what this writing could mean.

Finally, the guest broke the silence.

"I think it's a prophecy. One of other Observants has been filling his book with such stories. Things that could possibly come true later in our existence."

The leader turned back, looking the guest square in the eye.

"You mean there are more of these?"

"Yyyyesss…" The guest shrunk back a little. "This is the most worrisome, but there are others. Something about a fire crown. Another about stones and gauntlets. But this…"

"And the writer, he didn't know this before he wrote it?"

"No sir. It just came to him as his hand touched the paper. He is even claiming that he doesn't remember writing it!"

"Hmmmm…curious indeed."

"So, what should we do?"

"I think we need to wait. See how this story plays out. Obviously, the things he is writing hold meaning to our future. But we are still too young to worry about something that may not happen for eons."

"But sir…"

"That is my command. Now if you excuse me, I need to return to my viewings. There is another war happening in the middle east. I have a feeling we will be housing many more spirits very soon."

* * *

_Centuries passed, the Earth was growing, and so was the Ghost Zone. We were learning more and more about the human world, but sadly, more and more battles were happening, and more and more humans were dying. We elders were starting to lose control over our world, trying to keep all those lost to the human battles safe within our Zone. We knew that we needed help, needed someone to watch over time and take the burden of guiding the fallen to their next life. _

_And then one day…._

* * *

The young ghost pulled his hood up over his head and shivered, his red eyes darting around the empty realm.

"Where…am I?" he asked out loud, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

As he said this, he felt a chill in his spine and lurched back. He felt…different.

Looking down, he let out a soft yelp as he realized that he had aged. His body was bigger and more muscular.

"What…what is happening?"

He froze for a moment.

'_Was that MY voice?'_

He floated forward, trying to find an empty rock to sit down on, only to again feel the pain in his spine and as he aged again, in reverse this time.

"Why!"

He was still a child, a ghost formed only recently by the molecules within the zone and left in this barren part to fend for himself. He had no home, no idea where to go, and now THIS?

As if answering his question, another jolt came, and this time he found himself with a long white beard, the wrinkles on his hands further proving that he had become an elder.

"I'm a…a…?"

He reached up his elderly hands and pulled his hood even tighter, not wanting anyone to see him this way, even though he knew there was no one around.

"Now what do I do?"

* * *

"Sir! Sir!"

The one-eyed ghost rushed into his master's lair, urgency in his voice. The master looked up from his book, a blank stare on his face.

"We've found him!"

He lurched up from his chair, excitement showing in his one eye.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! The prophecy states he will be one with great power. One able to change the way time affects him. Change his time!"

"Yes, yes I know all that, we've discussed it countless times over the last century. But how do you know this is him?"

"Sir, he's out of sync with time."

* * *

"You think I'm a…God?"

The young ghost was sitting across from the head Observant, having returned to his youngest form, with his hood pulled back, hands fidgeting in his lap.

"Yes," was all the other ghost could say, with very little enthusiasm.

"But I can't be! I was just born. I don't even know where I am!"

The young ghost found himself aging again with these comments, unable to control anything.

"See! I can't even control this!"

"But you will. In time, you will. Until then, let us train you, teach you what you need to watch over the timelines."

"Timelines?"

"The flow of time. Here, in the Zone, we don't measure time the way humans do. But on Earth, things need to stay on track. That is where you come in."

"But why me?" he asked again, aging to his oldest form.

"It's because of your powers. We can sense that the changes your form goes through will help you as you watch over time."

"These powers…will help?" He asked, looking at his hands as they aged down again, not even feeling it in his spine this time.

"See you are already adapting. No pain this time?"

"No…but…"

"We have been looking for a long time for someone with your gifts. And just as our realm was getting crowded, you showed up. It was almost like clockwork."

"Clockwork…" The ghost sighed as he aged to his middle form again.

* * *

_Time took its course, flowing like a river. And as time passed on, our young apprentice grew. _

_We kept a close watch on him for several years, teaching him all he needed to know about the time monitors, and how to look forward and backwards within them. He was a fast learner, a trait we attribute to his ability to change forms. With the changing form comes a changing mind and changing abilities._

_We taught him that as well, how to change forms on command. Sometimes one needs youth to understand things, while other times age and experience are needed to finish a puzzle. Having the power of both is a unique gift, and we made sure our young friend knew exactly that. _

_Finally, after years of training under our watch, he was ready to take on the role he was born for. Ready to become a Master of Time._

* * *

"This…is all for me?" he asked hesitantly as he circled the castle. There were cogs floating in from the ceiling, a purple glow coming from them. Behind him, a huge library stocked with books upon books of ghost knowledge. And in front were three large monitors, the largest in the middle with two smaller on the sides.

"Yes," the observant answered.

"And I'm supposed to live here, by myself. Watch after the timelines, by myself. And help the lost souls move on…"

"By yourself. Yes."

"But what if I'm not ready?"

"Ha! We have trained you for long enough, and the high council has agreed you are very ready."

"But what if I mess up?"

"You won't."

"But what if I do?"

"We'll know. We know everything."

"But…"

"No buts boy! You will be fine."

He looked around again, allowing his body to age up as he took everything in.

Floating over to an open window, he looked out on the rest of his realm.

"Wait…what are those stones?" he asked, turning to his companion.

"Oh yes… The Graveyard."

"Graveyard?" He raised an eyebrow at this, having never heard of such a place before today.

"The Graveyard. It's a place where humans end up if they unable to return as ghosts. Almost like a resting place. New stones form when new humans arrive, but nothing has ever come from it."

"So, why did you pick this spot to put my home then?"

"We believed that watching over the Graveyard, just to make sure no one disturbs those resting, is a part of your job. It won't take much energy, but we still find it important."

The purple hooded ghost turned away from the window and looked back into his castle, eyes falling on the bookshelves now.

"Anything else you should be telling me?"

"Nothing you won't learn in due time, young Clockwork."

With that, the Observant vanished in a wisp of smoke, leaving the ghost alone in his new home.

* * *

"You really should have told him more about that Graveyard!"

"And scare him? He's on his own for the first time in centuries, that's the last thing we need to do."

"But it's a part of his destiny!"

"And you are annoying me. Remember your place, please, and let me be."

The elder observant let out a huff, signaling that it was time for the other to depart.

* * *

A/N: Please follow, favorite and review! More chapters will be uploaded soon.

Lisa


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is the next bit, I hope that you enjoy watching this story progress.

**Chapter 2**

_Time passed. Clockwork became more confident in his abilities to watch over time and the fallen. We knew that soon he would begin to break out on his own, developing new powers that would allow him to do the things we had prophesized so many years before. And so, we kept a close watch, preparing ourselves to help in any way we could._

* * *

"Clockwork!"

The head Observant let himself into the castle, of urgency in his voice.

Clockwork appeared in front of him, in his adult form, with a look of boredom on his face.

"I was in the middle of a timeline!"

"We know. But this is important."

"More important that stopping the World War I?"

"That is a very important War to the Earth's history. I believe you should know that."

Clockwork blushed at this, aging down.

"Fine…What is it you want?"

"We Observants have brought you a gift. Something we believe will be helpful in your work."

The Observant reached out his right hand, allowing a purple staff to appear in it, and then held it out to Clockwork.

Clockwork looked down at it, eyes scanning it in entirety. It was long, with a purple sphere at the bottom. At the top, it divided into two, and inside that division was a small clock, almost like a stopwatch.

"Go ahead, take it."

He hesitated, unsure what this new gift could really do, before finally lifting it out of the Observant's hand.

A soft glow appeared around the staff, growing brighter and brighter and extending itself to Clockwork himself. Clockwork looked down at this and gasped as he saw his body start to change.

Within his chest, a clock pendulum appeared, slowly beginning to tick through the glass door that was now on attached to his body. Along with the new clock, a belt and gloves had also appeared, also containing various forms of clocks and watches.

"Why?"

"We have seen your powers grow since leaving us, and we knew you needed tools to channel the extra energy. This staff was created to serve that purpose. Hold onto it, and all extra energy will be transmitted into it for later use."

"You mean, I have new powers?"

"Try this, young master. Touch the top of the staff and say 'Time Out.'"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow, but upon seeing the Observant nod, he touched the top.

"Time Out."

Everything froze. The clocks in his realm stopped ticking. The cogs stopped moving. But he and his companion were still blinking at each other.

"Now say, 'Time In.'"

"Time In?"

And, like nothing had happened, the world began to move again.

"What does that all mean?"

"We Observants believe that the ability to stop time is important to your job, and we have come to trust you with the power to do so."

"But, you were still awake?"

"Ah, yes, because I was wearing this."

He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a medallion. It was shaped like a golden cog, with a black center and turquoise letters.

"I have never seen one of those before."

"Our experimental team has been working on them. They're meant to protect us from the effects of time."

"Effects of time? Like, they won't age?"

"Ha! No one can stop themselves from growing and changing, not even ghosts. No. They're meant to allow the wearer access to your realm."

"My realm…but don't ghosts already have access?"

Clockwork was confused now. There were many things he had always believed to be true that he was suddenly finding were entirely wrong.

"I must confess. We have been worried. Worried about your great power and how it would affect other ghosts. So, we have been keeping your home a secret."

"A secret?"

"Don't you wonder why you have such limited visitors?"

Now that he was thinking about it, his guest was right. Usually, his only visitors were the Observants.

"But with these medallions, you will be able to grant anyone who wishes to visit a chance to do just that."

The observant waved his hand, and a row of the same medallions were suddenly hanging by the main entrance to Clockwork's realm.

"The time has come, Clockwork, for our entire realm to know of your existence. For you to truly take your place as our Master of Time. "

* * *

_We gave him what he needed. The staff to channel his power. The medallions to allow those he deemed worthy in and out. What he chose to do with them, we could not predict. At first, becoming the Ghost Zone's Master of Time didn't seem to make him feel any different. He continued with his duties, watching over timelines and helping ghosts move on, while allowing visitors in and out, making 'friends' and practicing his powers. _

_But soon, we saw changes. Darker changes. He began despising those weaker than him. Putting up barriers to his realm and rarely handing out medallions to anyone, making sure they were always returned when he did. His powers grew, the energy from this staff flowing into him and taking control. We knew it was only a matter of time before what we had prophesied would come true._

* * *

"Clockwork! We need to talk!"

Clockwork let out a loud sigh as his door slammed open.

"Remind me why you guys can come and go without the medallions?" he asked in annoyance as he continued to stare at his large screen.

"Because we created them, and you, and therefore have total control."

"Whatever. What do you want this time?"

The Head Observant floated to the spot next to Clockwork and put his hand on the ghost's shoulder, forcing him to turn around and look at him.

"We just had to retrieve ANOTHER rogue ghost from your time traps. That's the fifth this week. You NEED to take those down."

"And allow vandals to make a mess of my Graveyard? I don't think so."

"It's not YOUR Graveyard, Clockwork, remember that."

"I watch it. I care for it. I get rid of the ghosts who try and destroy it. So technically, it is," he said in a droll tone.

"That you do. But you know what you haven't done lately? Help those who need to move on."

Clockwork just looked at his guest, a blank look in his eyes.

"We've been over this before, those ghosts can do it on their own. It's an easy path, and I've created a surefire map to get them where they need to go."

"Ghosts are starting to veer from your map, Clockwork."

Clockwork's eyes got big at this, having not realized that his map plan could backfire.

"You mean they're starting to find ways around moving on?"

"Exactly, and our realm is getting full. You need to return to your job!"

"Fine, fine…I will go round up the stragglers. Is there anything else you wanted to tell me, or can I return to keeping the timelines from shattering?"

"World War II will not shatter time, Clockwork, even you should know that."

"And when all those people die, who do you think is going to have to deal with them?"

"We have bigger things at stake here."

"Bigger than the Holocaust?" Despite his recent disdain for his mentors, even he was curious about what could be so troubling.

"Humans are starting to investigate. They are starting to catch on. It will only be a matter of years before they figure out a way into our world."

Clockwork froze, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.

"You mean…"

"The Humans are coming. Not the ghosts of them, the actual humans. And we need to be ready."

* * *

Clockwork was sitting in the library, something he had been doing so more recently since the announcement of human intervention.

The books on the shelves, he had been told, contained the vast knowledge the Observants had gained when they were first created. Which meant that there as a chance that somewhere in one of them was an answer to their current situation.

'_There has to be a way that we can keep them from coming. Or at least keep them from harming us when they do!'_

He closed the current book, which had contained a history of the Earth and Zone through the early years, and sighed.

'_I've checked so many already, and yet, there are still so many more.'_

As if in answer to his prayers, he caught sight of a faint glow coming from a shelf above. Aging down and floating up, he reached out and picked up the glowing book.

It looked older than the others, with yellowing pages and a worn cover. No writing was upon its front, leading Clockwork to wonder what could possibly be inside.

He slowly floated back down and lifted the cover, allowing a cloud of dust to dissipate before looking at the words inside.

His eyes grew wide as he realized what he was reading, and he quickly found himself skimming the pages, flipping them almost faster than he could read them as he took it all in.

And then, he stopped. The words on the current page practically shouted at him, as if they were meant to be found.

"One day there will come a being strong enough to wield the power of both realms. Upon the removal of the cursed Amulet of Aragon, this being will take its true place amongst both humans and ghosts, freeing the Ghost Zone of the dark power that lingers over it, and taking its place as the protector of both realms"

This was the first mention he had found of actual human interaction with ghosts out of all the books he had read.

'_It isn't possible. The kingdom of Aragon has existed longer than I have, and no one has ever said a word about an amulet. And humans? How could one be of both realms? How is it possible for any spirit to have that power? Power that could be more powerful than…mine."_

Clockwork sat in silence for a bit, trying to figure out what it all meant. Could there really be more than what he had been told?

Finally, he sat up, aged all the way to his eldest form and spoke out loud.

"I am the most powerful. There can't possibly be another answer. I have to be the one. The one to remove it."

* * *

"Did you expect him to make that decision when you pointed him to the book?" The first observant asked.

"Not exactly."

"But you knew he would find that prophecy and want to learn more."

"Precisely."

"But he's not…"

"He's not the savior, no."

"But he does have a stake in all this?"

The head Observant just looked at his companion, allowing him to think for a moment.

"The darkness?" he finally said, a bit of worry in his voice.

"That, son, is indeed correct."

* * *

A/N: If you've read _Past and Present_ you should have seen that coming, right?

I'll post chapter 3 early next week.

Lisa


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here's another. This one is really short, but it's also kinda fun. Clockwork is such a character sometimes :)  
The references to the original story, Past and Present, also start to hit hard here, so if you haven't read it, you may find yourself confused. _

* * *

_Chapter 3_

"Time in!"

Clockwork stepped out of a circular portal, taking in his new surroundings.

While he had heard stories of Aragon, he had never visited himself. In fact, he hadn't visited most of the other realms within the Ghost Zone.

The kingdom was small, with a huge castle at the center. A small forest and moat surrounded the castle, with a few houses scattered across the outskirts.

He floated towards the castle, trying to decide the best way to approach the princess, only to be stopped by a crashing sound. He quickly turned around to see two dragons heading straight for him.

"You must learn you place! Stop trying to meddle in my affairs!" the darker, clearly male dragon roared as red fire flew out of his mouth.

The younger, blue dragon continued to fly, avoiding the fire and shouting back, "You have to tell her! You can't keep hiding this from her, or when she learns, she will leave you like the last one!"

"Ha! The only one who knows of our powers are us, and I plan to keep it that way!" More fire spat from his mouth as he shot forward at super speed.

Having come in the middle of the battle, Clockwork had no idea what he was witnessing, but he knew he needed to get out of their way and find the princess before he became toast.

"You may be the prince, but that doesn't give you the right to decide my fate as well! And as soon as I get the chance, I am telling your bride AND our parents about us BOTH!"

'_The prince? The prince of this realm is a dragon? And she's his sister, which makes her…'_

Clockwork turned back towards the fight, and for the first time noticed something he hadn't before. The girl dragon—the princess—was emitting more fire at her brother, and as she did so, something around her neck began to glow.

'_The Amulet of Aragon! But how do I get it?'_

Clockwork smacked his head with his hand. "Duh."

He touched the top of his staff.

"Time out!"

Everything froze around him, including the dragons and the red fire coming from the prince's mouth.

'_Can it really be this easy?'_

He flew over to where the girl was flying and reached out to grab the necklace off her neck. He grasped it firmly and pulled. Nothing. He pulled again. Nothing.

'_Maybe she needs to be awake.'_

He thought for a moment, afraid of what would happen when he timed back in, but decided it was worth the risk.

"Time in!"

Everything came alive, fire going in both directions. And yet, when he pulled, still nothing.

The blue dragon noticed the force however and turned her head down to look. Her eyes got big when she noticed the ghost holding onto the end of her necklace.

"Only one!" she shouted, thrashing her head back and forth to get the ghost to let go.

Clockwork was holding on for dear life, trying to figure out why he couldn't get the thing to come off. It had to be him, right? Who else had the power to control both realms?

"ONLY ONE!" she shouted again, this time shooting fire with each word.

Thinking fast, Clockwork used as much power as he could to get his other hand, the one with his staff, to conjure up a portal and send himself home.

He landed with a thump on the ground of his realm, taking in a second to catch his breath before fully falling to his knees, head in his hands as he aged to his elderly form.

"Why couldn't I take it?"

* * *

_Years passed, and he became obsessed with the prophecy and why he couldn't remove the amulet. He believed himself to be the most powerful ghost, the only one with any connection to the human realm. _

_He returned once more to Aragon, hoping maybe if he caught the dragons in a state of peace, he would be able to remove it. But alas, he still could not._

_Ghosts began to run rampant again, veering from his maps even more so than before, taking up a more permanent residency within the Ghost Zone. The other Observants were getting tired of cleaning up his mess, but I continued to remind them that we had to let Clockwork be. Let him figure out his story on his own. _

_Finally, one day, his true story began._

* * *

He frowned deeply, eyes glaring as he flipped through the timelines on his screen, the book in front of him once again open to the usual page.

"There has to be an answer here somewhere! I've reviewed the timelines over and over again! I've questioned – and scared – every ghost who may know anything. I've even tried removing that cursed amulet myself! And yet… nothing."

He looked down at the book again, then slammed the cover shut and let it fall to the ground.

"I watch over the Zone, even that pointless Graveyard, and am constantly reviewing the things those humans do. Why can't I remove that amulet!?"

As if finally answering his questions, the screen in front of him suddenly turned to static.

"That's odd. I can control the time channels with my mind, but I've never had them go to static before…"

But before he could question further, a new scene appeared. The date at the top read '1965.'

"Hmm? Why would it go there?"

The scene showed a girl in bed, her face flushed, with an ice pack on her head, her eyes closed. Lying next to her was a boy with the same. Both had black hair; the girl's was down to her shoulders, while the boy's was a messy mop upon his head. As the ghost watched, the girl coughed and the boy looked over at her, reaching out to her. She opened her eyes at this and gave a small smile back.

"Those eyes. I've seen them before. But where…"

He turned from the screen, trying to make sense of what exactly he had just witnessed.

"Such a trivial moment, but it must mean something…"

He walked over to a smaller screen, an idea brewing in his head.

The small screen came to life with a single thought and quickly began to shuffle through scenes as the ghost searched for what he needed.

"I have to find those eyes!"

The screen stopped its shuffle on a still scene, and the ghost's red eyes grew big as he took in what he saw.

A girl and a boy were sitting on a doorstep, each holding an ice cream cone in their hands. The boy's was beginning to melt all over his pants, and the girl had stopped licking her cone to laugh at him.

"Aha!"

Her eyes were a match for the ones he had just viewed, and yet…

"That's not her…"

While the eyes looked the same, the girl was definitely different. Her hair was shorter and pulled back. She wore a black tank top, a violet skirt, and black bangles on her wrist.

If that wasn't enough to give it away, the time stamp at the top of the screen was… 2019, a year that had yet to happen in human time.

"She has to be related to the girl from 1965. It would make sense after all, I've checked the 2000's millions of times, I'm sure she's come up before. But why now?"

He examined the still again, looking between the girl and the boy, his eyes getting wide.

"Hold on... Show the final still from the home screen next to this moment."

He lurched back as the first scene appeared next to the current one, unable to believe was he was seeing.

"It's not possible."

But it was. Somehow, someway, the same boy was in both scenes.

* * *

_We tried to stop him, get him to return to his job. But alas, we knew he would never give up now that he knew the truth. _

* * *

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Clockwork rose from his chair, the book falling to the floor. He quickly turned to his screens, which were all currently showing different scenes from a young boy's life, and flipped them all off.

"What is it? Can't you fools tell I'm busy!"

He waved his staff, releasing the protection shield from his door and allowing several Observants to come floating in.

"You're shirking your duties again, Clockwork!" the first one said.

"Ghosts are running rampant, attacking each other and breaking down realms!" said the second.

"You need to restore order before it's too late," the final one added.

Clockwork just rolled his eyes.

"You Observants. You don't see anything important. It isn't my job to keep the peace around here, remember? That's what we hired Walker for."

"This is beyond Walker's scope, Clockwork," the first one said. "These ghosts are talking about invading your Graveyard. They want to move on…"

Clockwork shook his head, "Lowlifes. It's not that simple! You can't simply find a plot and expect to leave this place!"

"They need your guidance to remind them of that," the second one chimed in. "Remember why you were created in the first place?"

Clockwork froze, trying to remember the last time he had actually helped a ghost move on.

'Has it been that long?' he wondered, before adding, 'Does it really matter anymore?'

Returning to reality, Clockwork gazed at his visitors. "I have other priorities!" he said loudly, glancing at the book on the ground.

The third observant caught his gaze and floated over to where the book sat. Picking it up, he looked at the open page and read aloud:

"One day there will come a being strong enough to wield the power of both realms…"

"Not that stupid prophecy again!" the first Observant shouted. "When will you learn that it has no importance. It's just a story!"

Clockwork's eyes turned a brilliant red as he glared at his visitor.

"WRONG. This prophecy has bearing on everything! And until I can finally figure out who that being is, I do not need your interruptions!"

Without even waving his staff, he flung the three ghosts backwards through his door, knocking the book from the hands of the Observant in the process. He allowed the shield to lock itself again before picking up the book again.

"I'm so close to figuring out how this boy will save us all. I just need a little time."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading. We are half way there. See you all soon!_

_Lisa _


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: One more to hold you over through the weekend. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Clockwork was spending all of his time searching for the moment that the boy would pass on and then return to Earth, and yet all he could find were the moments he had witnessed over and over. The bits in the '60s with him and the girl sick in bed, and the moments in the 2000s with the ice cream.

'_Why can't I see more! What happens BETWEEN these two scenes?'_

Finally, one day, it happened.

He hadn't scanned the "real-time" channels in a while, having only been focused on what was and could be. But today, some instinct in him told him he needed to do a scan.

While he had been alive for centuries, the real time on Earth was the mid '60s, which happened to be the time that one Daniel Fenton was going through high school.

Clockwork had been so obsessed with the moments he had already seen that he had forgotten that these moments were actually coming up in Earth time. It wasn't until he started doing his scan that he spotted something he hadn't before – a new moment with the boy.

There he was, young Daniel Fenton, about age 18, sitting on a pink bed with the girl that Clockwork had come to know as Sarah. They were listening to music, talking about graduation and life after the summer.

"Freeze."

The screen froze, and Clockwork flew closer, taking a hard look at the two.

"This is the age he is in the 2000s. Which means, his death must be coming. Soon, very soon, fate will take control."

As if fate were answering, the screen turned to static, only to quickly turn back to a scene of Daniel walking the streets.

"Turn up. "

The thoughts of the young boy in front of him suddenly became clear as he listened in.

He hadn't always been able to hear thoughts, but recently, and with much practice, he had discovered that the thoughts of this boy could be heard at the correct volume.

'_Sarah, we've been together since pre-school, and after graduation tomorrow, everything changes.'_

Clockwork continued to watch and listen as the boy contemplated what his future could bring, until finally, he stopped in front of a local market.

"Freeze."

The screen froze again as Clockwork spoke out loud.

"I've seen that market before. A headline in a paper that flashed through my scans once or twice. A bomb. Fire. Unidentified bodies…."

'_Daniel.'_

'_No. Do not force him to go into that store. Do not force his story to end that way. There must be a better answer.'_

'_This isn't a coincidence. He's destined to do it…'_

'_Not if you choose another path.'_

"There is no other path. Unfreeze."

He touched the screen with his staff, sending wave lengths through it that he then saw, very briefly, touching the boy.

Daniel put his hand on the store door, one thought going through his head.

'_And tonight, you need to take a chance.'_

* * *

"CRASH!"

Clockwork turned his body away from the screen at the sound of lightning outside his window. Lightning that he had come to learn meant only one thing…

A new gravestone was appearing.

* * *

"Oh, dear girl. I wish I didn't have to hurt you through all of this. But please understand, it's for the greater good."

Floating above a sea of stones, he looked down upon the blank one, waiting for the precise moment to turn.

A distant clock struck twelve as his form went from very young to very old within seconds. He pointed his staff at the blank stone.

"Daniel Fenton. We will meet again."

* * *

_He had done it. Successfully manipulated the timelinechanging the destiny of the boy permanently. But now what? _

_He knew that the boy would return, and that somehow, he would have a hand in this return, but how? How was he going to bring back someone from the graveyard, when it had never been done before? _

_Luckily for him, we had planted the answer within his realm. _

_You see, we wrote more than just history books when we first started our documentation. Yes, many of us were historians. But some had other interests. One such interest was alchemy – science, potions, experiments. And within those books, was the key to resurrection._

_We had never planned on resurrecting anyone at first. Why would we need to when so many ghosts were already inhabiting the Zone? But as we learned about Clockwork's story, we came to learn that he would need to try his hand at this procedure. For only in its success could his undoing begin. _

* * *

"This list of ingredients is really long…"

Clockwork was sitting in his reading chair, having finally found the alchemy book he had never quite found a use for until now. While he didn't consider himself a scientist, he knew he had to give it a try. But man, the process of resurrection had to be the hardest one in the book.

"Some of these things are from realms halfway across the Zone! But I can't leave now…"

Clockwork had taken to becoming a recluse, leaving his realm even less (which wasn't saying much) than before, for fear of a rogue ghost making its way into the Graveyard and tampering with Daniel's stone.

True, he had put up even stronger time barriers now, but one could never be too cautious.

"If only I had a minion…"

"Aha!"

He tapped the top of his staff, and a ghost in a full body suit appeared in front of him. He was holding a steel scrubber in one hand, bristles poised against the suit as if ready for a polish.

"Nice to see you too Skulker," the young Clockwork grinned.

"What do you want?"

"I have a proposition. I need your help."

Skulker raised an eyebrow at this, dropping his scrubber. "You, the Time Master, want MY help? I thought I was just a lowlife hunter?"

Remembering the time he had called Skulker a waste of space, Clockwork grimaced.

"Yes…I may have said that once or twice…but now…I need your help."

"And what's in it for me?" Skulker asked, walking towards the screens where yet another scene of Danny's life was frozen.

"Access to my realm. Anytime. And a lot of money."

"I'm listening." He turned to his captor.

"I need some items. Some _rare _items. Things one doesn't usually look for."

Skulker turned his eyes to Clockwork, his eyes squinting curiously.

"What for?"

"That is not your concern. Your concern is helping me get these things."

"And if I don't?"

"Well…there may be another wanted sign on Walker's jail wall in the near future."

Skulker froze.

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me…"

He thought for a moment, not sure if he really wanted to "try" the Master of Time.

"Fine, where's my list?"

* * *

_It took a while, almost 50 human years to be exact. But Clockwork had known it would. After all, he was coming to learn the secrets behind why his screens only showed so much, and that meant that Danny wasn't meant to return until the 2000s. _

_He filled his days with experiments. Building up a small lab in the back of his realm, complete with body chamber for the boy's return. Each time Skulker brought a new item, he added it to his stocks, waiting for the moment of resurrection to show itself._

_When he wasn't experimenting, he was watching the screens. He had also discovered that may moments affecting Danny's destiny would only show themselves in real time, and as such this meant being patient. He finally found the girl, the granddaughter to be exact, and watched as she grew, knowing that there must be a moment coming when Danny's story would collide with hers._

_He kept an eye on Danny's family, too, and found that the stories of humans coming to the Ghost Zone the Observants had fed him all those years ago were in fact true. The sister, Jazz, had become a major player in this discovery, having become obsessed in ways even Clockwork hadn't expected. Soon, she was working on a portal, one that would link their worlds._

_But then she stopped. She grew sick. Clockwork watched as she laid in her deathbed, son Jack by her side, and forced him to promise to keep up the research. _

_He didn't know how this would affect his mission, but he had a feeling this portal could be a way to bring about Danny's destiny, so he continued to watch._

* * *

It was 2017 when it happened. He had been watching the Fentons again, and this time they had finally made their breakthrough. The portal was set to open soon, and he could sense this was it.

As if reading his thoughts, the screen changed and showed him a scene from the near future that he hadn't witnessed before.

_"And so, without further ado, we will now plug in our Fenton Portal and introduce the world to a whole new realm of mystery and wonder!" Maddie Fenton declared._

_With the anticipation rising, Maddie quickly typed a passcode into the keyboard on the wall, then grabbed the giant plug and inserted it into the adjacent outlet. There were a few green sparks, then…nothing. Jack's face, which had been wildly excited, changed quickly to disappointed. _

The screen froze, and Clockwork let out a sigh of frustration.

"This must be it. Must be the moment I've been waiting for! But why can't I see more?"

He forced his screen to skip back to the beginning of this scene and put it in slow motion, analyzing every frame he saw. It wasn't until the green sparks appeared that things clicked.

"Those green sparks! They're not electricity, they're ectoplasm! The portal NEEDS ectoplasm to work! Which means it needs ghost energy. And who better to provide that energy than the boy!"

He had finally figured out how and when the boy would make his return to Earth, but now he needed that last ingredient.

* * *

A/N: So after writing the bit about Clockwork viewing Jazz's research, I sorta want to write a Jazz side story. What do you think?

2 more chapters left, both will be up next week.

Lisa


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here is another chapter, leaving us with just one more after this. I hope that you are all enjoying this short story and feel like the character(s) make sense. I really enjoyed writing it! Although, we are at the point where most of this is just copied straight from the original "Past and Present" story...

* * *

Chapter 5

"One. More. Just One. More."

The ghost sighed as paced his realm, trying to be patient as he waited for his hire to return.

"I've spent ages tracking down the locations of those ingredients, the least he could do is return sooner," he said through gritted teeth as he glanced over at the table behind him.

Sitting on top were several beakers, a few containing varying solutions, as well as some pretty grotesque scientific items.

The biggest vial, at least 5 gallons, was currently half full of a bright green solution, a slight glow emitting from it.

"I just need that last element, and then it will be ready."

As if in answer, the door behind him suddenly flung open, and a ghost in a metal body suit wearing a medallion flew in.

"I swear if you EVER send me to get ANYTHING again, I am going to blast you so hard that you'll have your own plot in that Graveyard of yours!"

Looking up and down at his visitor, Clockwork noticed a few burn marks and scratches on the ghost's suit.

"Well, hello to you too Skulker." He grinned.

"Hmph…" was all he armored ghost could say as he dropped a bag to the ground and kicked it towards Clockwork.

"Just take it and pay me already."

Clockwork floated forward and grabbed the bag, opening it up to look inside as it wiggled a bit.

"I take it Pandora's realm as a little bit harder to get through than we thought?" he said, trying to keep the tone light. "You'd think the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter would be able to handle a few demons."

"Demons? Yes. Fire breathing, 3 headed dogs? No." He crossed his arms. "Now, about my pay."

"Ah, yes, that." Clockwork waved his staff and another bag appeared in front of his visitor.

"Finally!"

Skulker turned to leave, but Clockwork stopped him one last time.

"Hold up. I think you have something of mine." He floated over to the ghost and reached for the medallion around his neck. "Our business is through, and I wouldn't want this landing in the wrong hands…" He grinned as he pulled it away.

Skulker laughed. "I was hoping you'd forget!"

"Just be happy you're still standing Skulker." Clockwork smirked as he aged up.

With that, Skulker flew out of his realm, the door slamming behind him as he murmured to himself.

"You'd think collecting hundreds of these things would give a guy a little more freedom to come and go…Can't even tell me what they're for…"

Clockwork turned and floated back to the table where he emptied the contents of the bag into a small glass case.

"Now, what to do with you?" he asked, watching the small bat-like creature trying to escape its box.

* * *

A few hours later, Clockwork looked up from his book and over to the large container in front of him.

"All that reading. All that hunting. All that mixing. And finally, FINALLY, I have a solution!"

The solution in the container had turned from green to a bright blue, having been mixed with the essences from the final ingredient.

"Finally."

He aged himself down as he took a small vial and filled it with the blue solution. Floating over to the large holding tank, he opened the door and poured the solution into an open tube. Smiling, he flew back to the table and grabbed the large container before quickly disappearing.

* * *

"Daniel Fenton. I have been watching your grave for years now, waiting for the perfect moment to present itself. Collecting ingredients and researching myths. And now, here I am, standing before you, ready for the prophecy to unfold."

Floating above the grave, he held his glowing blue solution with a small smile. Without hesitation, he tipped the container and watched the thick contents spill out onto the stone.

His eyes got big as he watched the stone suck up the liquid like a sponge, taking in every last drop as the stone began to glow as blue as the solution. The writing on the front quickly began to shuffle and rearrange, only to eventually disappear completely as the glowing began to fade.

"They may not understand now, but soon, things will change. And you, Daniel, are exactly what I need to make that change." He grinned as he disappeared again.

* * *

His realm was filled with blue light as he reappeared in the main chamber. Adjusting to the change in light, he quickly turned to his tank, only to find it was filled with a dense, blue fog.

"Perfect."

He floated closer, trying to see through the thickness. Beyond the fog, a body was starting to form.

"And now, to check on the girl…"

He turned away from the tank and changed his focus to the large screen on his back wall. It quickly lit up to reveal a girl, dressed in a fancy black dress, standing on the edge of a rooftop.

"If only I could figure out why I never see more!" he said, frustrated.

Despite his recent success with the boy, he was still struggling with the girl. As hard as he tried, he had yet to see much of anything on his screens taking place immediately after the portal incident. He knew there had to be something, for he had seen many images from 2019. But for one reason or another, there were many moments he knew must come between.

"How will they meet? How will they work together? How will they become…" He hissed as he tried once again to will his screen forward, only to have it jump to the all too familiar ice cream scene.

"It's like time doesn't want me to know these things…"

* * *

_He had done it. He had figured out resurrection, something even we Observants were unsure he could actually pull off. But he did. And what would happen next would change the course of all Ghost history._

* * *

It seemed like years as Clockwork searched his screens, constantly glancing behind him as the blue fog faded in the tank, only to see a humanoid form slowly taking shape. For a ghost who was used to speeding up and slowing down time, waiting on it was something he found tedious.

_'I have been trying to get this thing to cooperate for too long! That dance, it must be important. But why won't it show me more? If only I could speed time up a bit, just to forget about this and move on to the boy's return.' _He found himself considering these possibilities on multiple occasions, only to decide that it wasn't worth the risk.

Finally, as if answering his thoughts, the screen crackled and changed. The scenes began to switch, but not at his normal command. Instead, it was as if someone had hit the fast-forward button, and he had no way of stopping it.

_'What the—?'_

His eyes darted as he caught blurs of black and white, purple and green. Heard snippets of voices, some he recognized and some he didn't, but no conversation he had ever heard.

Finally, it stopped. Back on his 'favorite' scene with the ice cream. Frustrated, he willed his screen to turn itself off, only to notice there was no more blue in the reflection coming from behind him.

He turned. The fog was gone, and in its place was the very human form of what looked like an 18-year-old boy.

Clockwork slowly flew over to the tank, a bit of skepticism in his face, and looked in.

The boy blinked back, and Clockwork jolted backwards.

Coming to his senses, he flew back over and opened the door, allowing the boy to fall forward onto the ground, waiting to see if he would fall through.

_'I've got a medallion ready, boy.'_

When the head Observant had first warned him of human intervention, Clockwork had searched his books for answers, only to find very little of use. One thing he had found, however, were theories about human composition vs ghost composition. Humans, being made of flesh and blood, in theory, were more stable than ghosts, made of ether and ectoplasm. Clockwork had come to the conclusion that humans would not be able to stand on ghostly ground, would even fall right through, and as such had prepared for this moment by manipulating his medallions, giving them the power to keep humans safe and stable within the Zone.

But he didn't need it. Instead of sinking through, the boy just landed on the ghostly ground as Clockwork took a better look. He was on his knees, head facing down at the ground with hair hanging in his face. White hair.

"I've done it. At last, I have finally found an answer."

The boy looked up, green eyes wide with confusion.

_'But…isn't he supposed to be…? Black hair? Blue eyes?'_ Clockwork found himself confused as he shifted from young to old. _'The boy the girl loves, he's not like this…'_

The boy lurched back as if afraid of the figure's touch.

"Don't worry son, I won't hurt you. I'm here to help." The figure spoke with compassion in his voice.

_'I need to figure out why this didn't work. Why he isn't…human.'_

"What? Where? Who?" was all the boy could say in response.

Trying to remain calm—after all, someone had to answer questions—Clockwork looked down at the boy again.

"Of course, you're confused. You've only been back for a few hours now. Your mind hasn't fully returned yet. I should have known that would be a side effect of resurrection."

"Resurrection?"

Confusion spread across the boy's face as Clockwork tried to hide his own.

_'Maybe I opened the door too soon? Or didn't add the ingredients in the right order?'_

But instead of saying these things out loud, he simply answered, "Of course. You, Daniel, are the first soul I've ever been able to retrieve from death."

"Death? You mean, I…?'

"Died, yes. But I've brought you back." The figure smiled.

_'Or at least part of you.'_

"Back to where?"

"I believe the humans call it 'The Ghost Zone,'" he answered with amusement, "but this part, my home, is the Island of Lost Time."

"The Island of Lost Time?" he asked, looking up at the purple hooded figure.

"Yes. My home within the Ghost Zone. This is where I watch over all that come and go." The ghost gestured around the room, as if to show off the space.

But the boy was too shaky to care about how impressive it was.

"So, we're…I'm? A ghost? But why?"

"I wish I had a better answer," the ghost responded with a grin, "but simply put, I need your help."

"My help? But I barely remember my name. How can I…"

"Stop boy! Just stop! And listen!" His eyes glared red as he grew older, causing Danny to once again jolt back in fear.

Seeing the fear in the boy's face, Clockwork let his eyes dampen and turned to a large screen on a wall. It suddenly lit up with an overhead view of a city.

"Amity Park. Seems pretty quaint, right? Do you remember anything?"

"I…I…I think I lived there?" Danny racked his brain as he found himself rising to his feet and taking shaky steps to join the ghost at the screen.

"Yes! I remember! That's where I was born! Where I grew up! Where I…died." He lowered his voice at this last one.

"Oh good, more memories are coming back. I knew they would in time." Clockwork grinned again, as if hiding a secret.

"But why is Amity Park so important?" Danny asked.

The screen flipped to another scene, this one of a large metal room. The angle of the recording showed two figures standing in front of some large doors. The two watched as the woman grabbed a large plug and put it in an outlet. And then…nothing happened. Both figures looked dismayed at this.

"Meet Jack and Maddie Fenton. They've been working to create an opening to our world for some time now, but haven't been able to open it up."

_'Fenton?'_ thought Danny,_ 'Why does that feel familiar?'_

"What does that have to do with me?" Danny asked, feeling as though he was missing something important.

"I believe you, son, are the key. The one who will be able to open it. I just need to send you through." Clockwork turned young again as he said this, looked the boy directly in the eyes.

Danny shuttered, feeling more and more scared by the moment.

"Me? I don't…I don't know anything about anything."

"It's ok, I'll train you. Make sure you're ready. We have a few days. That event you just saw? It isn't supposed to happen until next week."

"Next week? You mean you can see the future?" Danny's eyes got big at this revelation.

The ghost laughed. "The future. The past. The present. My boy, I can see it all…" He stopped, wanting to go on, but realizing that he was already giving up too much information to a ghost child whose mind was still new.

"We'll just leave it at that. You need your rest, let your mind rest for a while." The ghost turned off the screen and began to float away, back to his own chamber. But not before looking back at the young boy before him.

"Stay here, relax. But please, don't leave this room. You'll find my realm is not so forgiving. You see, time doesn't stand still here, and without my guidance, you may get lost." A toothy grin formed on his face as he turned into a child and disappeared, leaving poor Danny to shiver in fear.

* * *

_The boy had returned, although not as Clockwork had planned. How was it that he had only witnessed a black haired, blue eyed boy on his screens, and yet here was a white haired, green eyed ghost? He knew resurrection was complicated, but this was out of his scope._

_But instead of lingering, he continued to work with the boy. Showing him stories from his past and what he needed to do to return home. _

_The boy grew to be almost a son to Clockwork in that short time, something no one had anticipated. Was it possible for such a dark being to actually have feelings? _

* * *

"Repeat again."

"I wait until after we know the doors have failed and then find the opening within the Zone. You send me in, and that activates the portal. After that, I am to stay and watch over the city for a while, make sure the Fentons get things going, and make sure no harm comes to them or the city."

Danny's voice sounded robotic as he recited his mission for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Exactly." The elderly ghost smiled down at him.

_'And by keeping him there, he will inevitably meet __her,'_Clockwork added in his head.

"But why me?" the boy asked, interrupting the ghost's train of thought.

His smile faded as he looked down.

"I've told you, Daniel, that no other ghost can possibly understand the human realm as well as you, for no other ghost has memories of a past."

"But I barely remember my past, and you haven't told me much. Just how and when I died, really." Danny, despite being a ghost, felt near to tears at this.

Clockwork flew down closer to the young ghost in front of him, changing into his childish self as he did.

"Trust me, if anyone was destined for this mission, it's you." He reached out a hand and put it on the boy's shoulder. At this, the boy looked up and smiled.

"Ok. I'll do it!"

* * *

A/N: The last chapter will be really short, and should be up Friday-ish. Have a great week!

Lisa


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Well here it is, the last bit of my story. I wanted to give you all a quick warning that there is no major climax here. If you want that, you need to go back and read "Past and Present". But I still hope you enjoy this anyway!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

It was getting to be that time, the actual day in the human world when the portal event would happen.

_Two figures watched the screen intently as Jack and Maddie Fenton began preparations to plug in their portal. They had watched it many times since Danny's return, but this time was different. This time was in real time._

"_Getting closer…" Clockwork practically whispered at the screen._

"_Why can't we just leave now so I'm there when they plug it in?" Danny asked._

_Clockwork turned his gaze from the screen to the boy next to him._

"_We won't know the precise location of the portal's opening until AFTER they try it," he said as he turned back to video._

"_I thought you could see the future?" Danny asked, starting to question the powers of his mentor._

"_I can, but even my powers have their limits. And in this case, the portal opening changes each time I view this scene."_

_Danny rolled his eyes and continued to watch._

"_3… 2… 1…"_

_The couple plugged it in and nothing happened, just as it had the millions of times they had watched this clip before._

_Clockwork turned again to Danny, a small grin on his face. "Ready?"_

_Danny was nervous. He knew what they needed to do, but was he really ready for this?_

"…_Yea. Let's go."_

"_Just stay with me. The realm outside my castle is a bit confusing. We don't want you getting lost in time."_

"_Lost in time?" Danny stopped at this, his fear returning._

_The ghost chuckled as he became younger._

"_Nothing to really worry about, as long as you stay with me. But some ghosts seem to enjoy testing their luck and wander in here unprepared."_

_His monitor flipped on again, this time to a scene of a young ghost in a pirate outfit. As he floated through the clouds of purple and green, Danny noticed the ghost age ever so slightly._

"_Come on! Just tell me how to get out! I only wanted to mess around in the Graveyard!"_

"_As you can see, Youngblood here was not so lucky."_

_Danny turned back from the monitor to the ghost next to him, confusion still on his face._

"_But you've had visitors. How do they make it through?"_

_'Enough with these questions! It seems as though I won't get him anywhere until I tell all my secrets.'_

_Clockwork sighed as a gold medallion with clock markings appeared in his hand. Pushing it towards Danny he gave a brief explanation:_

"_These medallions are designed to protect those who venture into my realm. As long as you are wearing it, you will always find your way in and out. But those without? Well, they end up like Youngblood."_

_Danny looked down at the medallion and slowly lifted it over his head._

"_Keep this on and I don't die. Got it!"_

* * *

The world outside the castle was black as Clockwork and Danny floated beyond the doors. Even though Clockwork had reassured him that he would be safe if he kept the medallion on, Danny made sure to stay as close to his guide as possible.

"Normal ghosts who try and find me tend to struggle with my memory puzzles," Clockwork explained. "They always get distracted by hints at their past and future as a ghost."

Danny shivered, afraid of what hints Clockwork could mean.

"But those who really need me, and those I summon, know their way around my tricks."

"Because they have this?" Danny asked, pointing to the item around his neck.

"Usually, yes. It acts as a beacon, allowing the wearer to bypass my games. But sometimes, if I call for someone, I just turn it off and allow them in."

_'And sometimes ghosts have the power to let themselves in, like those stupid Observants,' _he added in his head.

"I won't show you all of my traps today. Instead, I'll show you the easy way out." Turning into the oldest version of himself, he reached out his hand to take Danny's. The two of them floated to a nearby cog, and Danny watched in amazement as Clockwork tapped on one of its notches with his staff, allowing a glowing light to appear from the inside.

"We're going in there?"

"This cog responds only to me. Allowing me to choose where it will open. And today, it is opening right outside the entrance to the Fenton Portal. I will go with you through this gate, but once we reach the portal, you are on your own."

Clockwork smiled again as he pulled Danny closer.

"Do not fear. As I said, that medallion will protect you."

Danny gulped as he allowed his ghostly leader to pull him through.

They emerged in a world of dark purple and green, lots of floating doors and swirling clouds surrounding them. Danny turned around to see that the cog they had just come through had transformed into a door itself, ornate with clock motifs.

Reaching out, Clockwork took the medallion off Danny's neck. Seeing the confusion in the boy's face, he added, "They only work in my realm. After that, they're useless."

_'Or so he'll think…'_

He watched as Danny looked around, more confusion and awe on his face.

"And never mind these other doors, they're not important. What matters is right ahead."

Clockwork motioned forward, to where a large green swirl was floating in the open.

"The portal?" Danny asked.

"Exactly. You see, these doors, they lead to other realms in our world. But only a swirling light like that leads to the human world."

"Does that mean…it's time?" Danny asked hesitantly, not sure if he was truly ready for his mission, despite all the training and pep talks.

"In fact, it does. And this, my boy, is where I must leave you. I trust that you will do as I instructed?"

Danny looked up at Clockwork and saw for the first time a hint of remorse in his face. Was he really sad to be seeing Danny go?

"Yes. Open the portal. Keep an eye on the Fentons. Watch over the city. But when will I know to return?"

"That is something that has yet to show itself to me, but I believe when the time is right, you will know."

Clockwork floated back a bit, allowing Danny to float closer to the opening.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Danny turned to ask one last time as he got closer.

"I've researched and watched as much as I could, and I believe you will be fine…." He hesitated.

"But?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms, refusing to move until he heard the rest.

"But you have become more important to me than I'd foreseen, and in order to fulfill what you are destined for I must leave you with one last warning." His voice, while trying to sound sincere, came off as more desperate. "You can never tell with human technology. I believe the worst that will happen is a small amount of memory loss. Given what little you recall already, that won't be an issue, though." Clockwork became young again as he floated backwards towards his door.

"Memory loss! Now you tell me!" Danny shouted, but got no response as his ghostly mentor disappeared.

"Good luck, son."

* * *

_After all that time, all that preparation, the story was now out of his control. Sure, he could 'touch' you from afar, Daniel. But there was a limit to the power that Clockwork had over you now that you were in the human world. All he could do was watch and wait._

_Scenes played out; things he had only guessed at came true. _

_As for Sam, the moment on the rooftop, he quickly came to learn, was the moment you two would meet._

_And then, your story took a turn. Things started to happen that even Clockwork could not explain. The memories he was able to feed you began affecting you, CHANGING you. You were growing hungry, tired, and more human each day. And yet, he continued to manipulate, realizing that this was the destiny he had created, but never realizing that in doing so he had made himself into the darkness we all feared._

_It took you, both of you, to make him see what we had known all along. And together you were able to end his reign. It'll take us all a bit of time to rebuild and regroup, to help those fallen move on, but I can sense a calm coming over the Zone. A calm that you will help us restore. There is no more need to fear the it here, but instead, embrace it. Take the time to continue studying with the Fentons, exploring as you need, and understanding that not all ghosts are bad. We Observants will make sure the Ghost Zone knows your story, and that you are welcome here whenever you wish to learn more. Welcome, Daniel. Welcome, Samantha. You have saved us all._

* * *

A/N: AND... We're done! I feel like I tied this up nicely, relating it back to the original story and also allowing you to envision what will happen next for our heroes.

Confused? Leave a comment and I'll fill you in, but I think this works for itself.

Until next time (and I promise, there will be more stories in this AU, just not for awhile - life and work are hard sometimes).

~Lisa


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